Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of providing a matrix substrate having a main surface with plural device areas formed thereon, fixing plural semiconductor chips to the plural device areas respectively, then sealing the plural semiconductor chips all together with resin to form a block sealing member, dividing the block sealing member and the matrix substrate for each of the device areas by dicing, thereafter rubbing a surface of each of the diced sealing member portions with a brush, then storing semiconductor devices formed by the dicing once into pockets respectively of a tray, and conveying the semiconductor devices each individually from the tray. Since the substrate dividing work after block molding is performed by dicing while vacuum-chucking the surface of the block sealing member, the substrate division can be done without imposing any stress on an external terminal mounting surface of the matrix substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 12/118,752 filedMay 12, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,579,216, which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 11/360,512 filed Feb. 24, 2006, (now U.S. Pat. No.7,384,820), which is a division of application Ser. No. 10/462,463 filedJun. 17, 2003, (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,857).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device manufacturingtechnique and more particularly to a technique which is effectivelyapplicable to dividing a resin-sealed portion into individual pieces bydicing.

As a CSP (Chip Size Package) which is a small-sized semiconductor devicethere has been developed one in which a semiconductor chip is mounted ona substrate.

Regarding in what manner a substrate for CSP is to be divided, it isdescribed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos.2001-23936, 2001-24003, 2001-77057, 2001-85449, and 2000-77363.

In the above publication 2001-23936 there is disclosed a hole or a barcode as a jig identifying mark in a substrate dividing apparatus. In theabove publication 2001-24003 there is disclosed a method wherein a CSPsubstrate is divided using a dedicated jig to improve the productivity.In the above publication 2001-77057 there is disclosed a techniquewherein a CSP substrate is divided into individual pellets and thencontamination adhered to back surfaces of the pellets is removed beforeplacing the pellets onto a conveyance tray. In the above publication2001-85449 there is disclosed a CSP substrate holding technique which isapplied at the time of dividing a CSP substrate into individual pelletsand subsequently placing the pellets onto a conveyance tray. Further, inthe above publication 2000-77363 there is disclosed a technique whereina CSP is cut while it is accommodated in a dedicated jig, followed bywashing and drying.

In dividing a CSP, it is important to determine what structure of a jigis to be used in the dividing work and which of a surface and a back ofthe substrate is to be used as a substrate holding surface (a substratechucking surface in the case of vacuum chuck). For example, a substrateholding member (jig) disclosed in the foregoing publication 2001-85449has first holes for chucking divided individual pellets, second holesfor chucking pellets in areas adjacent to the first holes during jigconveyance, and third holes (fine through holes) for preventing alowering of the substrate holding force due to the leakage of air fromthe first holes. Thus, the structure of this jig is complicated,resulting in the jig being expensive, which is a problem.

There also arises the problem that the jig is large-sized and heavy toensure air paths for the aforesaid three holes and that themanufacturing cost and space for a jig handling mechanism increase.

As to which of a surface and a back of a substrate is to be used as asubstrate holding surface, there is not found a clear description in anyof the foregoing five publications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductordevice manufacturing method which permits dividing a wiring substratewithout imposing any stress on an external terminal mounting surface ofthe substrate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductordevice manufacturing method which facilitates recognizing dividingpositions at the time of dividing a wiring substrate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide asemiconductor device manufacturing method which permits easy removal ofcutting wastes adhered to an external terminal mounting surface of awiring substrate.

The above and other subjects and objects, as well as novel features, ofthe present invention will become apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Typical modes of the present invention as disclosed herein will beoutlined below.

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of providinga wiring substrate having a main surface with plural device areas formedthereon, fixing plural semiconductor chips to the plural device areasrespectively, disposing the plural semiconductor chips in the interiorof one cavity formed in a molding die and covering the plural deviceareas all together with the cavity, sealing the plural semiconductorchips all together with resin to form a block sealing member, anddividing the block sealing member and the wiring substrate for each ofthe device areas by dicing while chucking a surface of the block sealingmember through a plate-like jig.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of providinga semiconductor wafer with a protective sheet affixed beforehand to aback surface thereof, disposing the semiconductor wafer on a porous jigin such a manner that the protective sheet is interposed therebetween,and half-cutting the semiconductor wafer by dicing while chucking thewafer from the back surface side thereof through the porous jig.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view showing a structuralexample of a semiconductor device which is assembled by a semiconductordevice manufacturing method according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the semiconductordevice illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a structural example after wirebonding in the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing an example of a state inblock molding with resin in the semiconductor device manufacturingmethod of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a structural example of an externalterminal mounting surface side of an assembled product after blockmolding with resin in the semiconductor device manufacturing method ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the structure of the assembled productillustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the structure on a block sealing memberside of the assembled product illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the structure of the assembled productillustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a structural example of a substrateholding jig used in the semiconductor device manufacturing method of thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the structure of the substrate holdingjig illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a structural example of a jigtransfer hand used in the semiconductor device manufacturing method ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which theassembled product is clamped by both the jig transfer hand illustratedin FIG. 11 and the substrate holding jig;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a structural example in which theassembled product illustrated in FIG. 12 is disposed on a dicer cuttingstage;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing an example of dicing in thesubstrate width direction after resin molding in the semiconductordevice manufacturing method of the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing an example of dicing in thesubstrate length direction after resin molding in the semiconductordevice manufacturing method of the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing an example of washing and drying foran external terminal mounting surface of a wiring substrate after dicingin the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing an example of a method fortransferring the assembled product from an inverting hand to a drainerhand in the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which theassembled product is held by the drainer hand illustrated in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing an example of a method for suckingwater from a surface of a sealing member in the assembled product in thesemiconductor device manufacturing method of the first embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view showing an example of a method for cleaningthe substrate holding jig in the semiconductor device manufacturingmethod of the first embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which theassembled product is chucked by an inverting hand in the semiconductorproduct manufacturing method of the first embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view showing an example of a method for invertingthe chucked, assembled product by the inverting hand illustrated in FIG.21;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view showing an example of a method fortransferring the assembled product from the inverting hand illustratedin FIG. 22 to a decontaminating zigzag stage;

FIG. 24 is a plan view showing an example of a state of a first transferstage in transferring the assembled product to the decontaminatingzigzag stage by the transfer method illustrated in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a plan view showing an example of a state of a secondtransfer stage in transferring the assembled product to thedecontaminating zigzag stage by the transfer method illustrated in FIG.23;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing an example of a state of theassembled product after transferred to the decontaminating zigzag stagethrough the transfer stages illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view showing an example of a method fordecontaminating the surface of the sealing member in the assembledproduct in the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which theassembled product after decontamination is held by block zigzagchucking;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing an example of a method fortransferring the assembled product as chucked by block zigzag chuckingwhich is illustrated in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a plan view showing an example of a state after the transferonto a zigzag pocket tray of the assembled product as chucked by blockzigzag chucking which is illustrated in FIG. 28;

FIG. 31 is a partially cut-away side view showing an example of anindividual assembled product conveying method from the zigzag pockettray illustrated in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a partially cut-away side view showing an example of anelectric test method after the individual product conveyance illustratedin FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a partially cut-away side view showing an example of anappearance test method after the individual product conveyanceillustrated in FIG. 32;

FIG. 34 is a side view showing an example of a state in which individualassembled products are classified onto separate trays in accordance withresults of the tests illustrated in FIGS. 32 and 33;

FIG. 35 is a manufacturing process flow chart showing a part of aprocedural example from dicing after block molding up to decontaminationand storage in trays in the semiconductor device manufacturing method ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 36 is a manufacturing process flow chart showing a part of theprocedural example referred to in FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a plan view showing the structure of a substrate holding jigaccording to a modification of the first embodiment;

FIG. 38 is a sectional view thereof;

FIG. 39 is a sectional view showing how to clamp an assembled product byboth the substrate holding jig according to the modification illustratedin FIG. 37 and a jig transfer hand also used in the modification;

FIG. 40 is an enlarged, partial sectional view showing a clamped, sensorOFF state in the jig transfer hand according to the modificationillustrated in FIG. 39;

FIG. 41 is an enlarged, partial sectional view showing a clamped, sensorON state in the jig transfer hand according to the modificationillustrated in FIG. 39;

FIG. 42 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which asubstrate is held by a porous jig used in a semiconductor devicemanufacturing method according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 43 is a sectional view showing a state where a substrate is heldaccording to a modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 44 is a sectional view showing a dicing method according to anothermodification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 45 is a sectional view showing an assembled product holding stateaccording to a further modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 46 is a plan view showing the structure of the assembled productaccording to the modification illustrated in FIG. 45;

FIG. 47 is a sectional view thereof;

FIG. 48 is a plan view showing the structure of an assembled productaccording to a still further modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 49 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure taken alongline A-A in FIG. 48;

FIG. 50 is a partial sectional view showing a sectional structure takenalong line B-B in FIG. 48;

FIG. 51 is a back view showing a back side of the assembled productillustrated in FIG. 48;

FIG. 52 is a plan view showing the structure of an assembled productaccording to a still further modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 53 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure taken alongline C-C in FIG. 52;

FIG. 54 is a back view showing a back side of the assembled productillustrated in FIG. 52;

FIG. 55 is a plan view showing the structure of an assembled productaccording to a still further modification of the second embodiment;

FIG. 56 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure taken alongline D-D in FIG. 55;

FIG. 57 is a back view showing a back side of the assembled productillustrated in FIG. 55; and

FIG. 58 is a sectional view showing a semiconductor device manufacturingmethod according to a still further modification of the secondembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following embodiments, as to the same or similar portions,repeated explanations thereof will be omitted except where required inprinciple.

Where required for convenience' sake, the following embodiments will bedescribed in a divided manner into plural sections or embodiments, butunless otherwise mentioned, they are not unrelated to each other, butare in a relation such that one is a modification, a description ofdetails, or a supplementary explanation, of part or the whole of theother.

In the following embodiments, when reference is made to the number ofelements (including the number, numerical value, quantity, and range),no limitation is made to the number referred to, but numerals above andbelow the number referred to will do as well unless otherwise mentionedand except the case where it is evident that limitation is made to thenumber referred to.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detailhereinunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all of thedrawings for illustration of the embodiments, constituent members havingthe same functions are identified by the same reference numerals, andrepeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view showing a structuralexample of a semiconductor device which is assembled by a semiconductordevice manufacturing method according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure ofthe semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectionalview showing a structural example after wire bonding, FIG. 4 is apartial sectional view showing an example of a state in block moldingwith resin, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a structural example of anexternal terminal mounting surface side of an assembled product afterblock molding with resin, FIG. 6 is a side view showing the structure ofthe assembled product illustrated in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a plan viewshowing the structure on a block sealing member side of the assembledproduct illustrated in FIG. 5, FIG. 8 is a front view showing thestructure of the assembled product illustrated in FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is aplan view showing a structural example of a substrate holding jig usedin the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the firstembodiment, FIG. 10 is a side view showing the structure of thesubstrate holding jig illustrated in FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is a sectional viewshowing a structural example of a jig transfer hand used in thesemiconductor device manufacturing method of the first embodiment, FIG.12 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which theassembled product is clamped by both the jig transfer hand illustratedin FIG. 11 and the substrate holding jig, FIG. 13 is a sectional viewshowing a structural example in which the assembled product illustratedin FIG. 12 is disposed on a dicer cutting stage, FIG. 14 is a sectionalview showing an example of dicing in the substrate width direction afterresin molding, FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing an example of dicingin the substrate length direction after resin molding, FIG. 16 is asectional view showing an example of washing and drying for an externalterminal mounting surface of a wiring substrate after dicing, FIG. 17 isa sectional view showing an example of a method for transferring theassembled product from an inverting hand to a drainer hand, FIG. 18 is asectional view showing an example of a state in which the assembledproduct is held by the drainer hand illustrated in FIG. 17, FIG. 19 is asectional view showing an example of a method for sucking water from asurface of a sealing member in the assembled product, FIG. 20 is asectional view showing an example of a method for cleaning the substrateholding jig, FIG. 21 is a sectional view showing an example of a statein which the assembled product is chucked by an inverting hand, FIG. 22is a sectional view showing an example of a method for inverting thechucked, assembled product by the inverting hand illustrated in FIG. 21,FIG. 23 is a sectional view showing an example of a method fortransferring the assembled product from the inverting hand illustratedin FIG. 22 to a decontaminating stage, FIG. 24 is a plan view showing anexample of a state of a first transfer stage in transferring theassembled product to the decontaminating zigzag stage by the transfermethod illustrated in FIG. 23, FIG. 25 is a plan view showing an exampleof a state of a second transfer stage in transferring the assembledproduct to the decontaminating zigzag stage by the transfer methodillustrated in FIG. 23, FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing an exampleof a state of the assembled product after transferred to thedecontaminating zigzag stage through the transfer stages illustrated inFIGS. 24 and 25, FIG. 27 is a sectional view showing an example of amethod for decontaminating the surface of the sealing member in theassembled product, FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing an example of astate in which the assembled product after decontamination is held byblock zigzag chucking, FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing an example ofa method for transferring the assembled product as chucked by blockzigzag chucking which is illustrated in FIG. 28, FIG. 30 is a plan viewshowing an example of a state after the transfer onto a zigzag pockettray of the assembled product as chucked by block zigzag chucking whichis illustrated in FIG. 28, FIG. 31 is a side view showing an example ofan individual assembled product conveying method from the zigzag pockettray illustrated in FIG. 30, FIG. 32 is a side view showing an exampleof an electric test method after the individual product conveyanceillustrated in FIG. 31, FIG. 33 is a side view showing an example of anappearance test method after the individual product conveyanceillustrated in FIG. 32, FIG. 34 is a side view showing an example of astate in which individual assembled products are classified ontoseparate trays in accordance with results of the tests illustrated inFIGS. 32 and 33, and FIGS. 35 and 36 are manufacturing process flowcharts showing a part of a procedural example from dicing after blockmolding up to decontamination and storage in trays.

The semiconductor device of this first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2 is a resin-sealed type BGA (Ball Grid Array) in which asemiconductor chip 1 is mounted on a main surface 3 a of an individualsubstrate 3, the semiconductor chip 1 and the individual substrate 3being electrically connected with each other through wires 4, and pluralball electrodes 11 as external terminals are arranged in a matrix formon a back surface 3 b of the individual substrate 3.

The BGA 9 of this first embodiment is fabricated in the followingmanner. There is used a matrix substrate 7 as a wiring substrate onwhich such plural device areas 7 a as shown in FIG. 5 are arranged in amatrix form. The matrix substrate 7 is subjected to resin molding(hereinafter referred to as “block molding” ) so that the plural deviceareas 7 a, which are partitioned from one another by dicing lines 7 b,are covered all together with a cavity 13 c of a molding die 13 shown inFIG. 4, to form such a block sealing member 8 as shown in FIG. 6. Afterthe resin molding, the block sealing member 8 is diced into individualpieces.

A detailed structure of the BGA 9 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will now bedescribed. The BGA 9 is made up of a semiconductor chip 1, thesemiconductor chip 1 having a main surface 1 b and a back surface 1 c,with plural pads 1 a as surface electrodes and a semiconductor elementbeing formed on the main surface 1 b, an individual substrate 3, theindividual substrate 3 having a main surface 3 a for supporting thesemiconductor chip 1 and a back surface 3 b located on the side oppositeto the main surface 3 a, with plural connecting terminals 3 c beingformed on the main surface 3 a, a plurality of ball electrodes 11 asexternal terminals formed on the back surface 3 b of the individualsubstrate 3, a plurality of wires 4 for connecting the pads 1 a on thesemiconductor chip 1 with corresponding connecting terminals 3 c on theindividual substrate 3, and a sealing member 6 formed on the mainsurface 3 a of the individual substrate 3 to seal the semiconductor chipand the plural wires 4 with resin.

The semiconductor chip 1 is fixed onto the main surface 3 a of theindividual substrate 3 through a die bonding material 5 as an adhesive.

In the individual substrate 3 there are provided internal wiring lines 3f for electric connection between the connecting terminals 3 c on themain surface 3 a of the individual substrate and bump lands 3 d formedon the back surface 3 b of the individual substrate, and an insulatingfilm 3 e which covers the main surface 3 a and the back surface 3 b atareas other than exposed wiring portions. The ball electrodes 11 asexternal terminals are provided on the bump lands 3 d respectively.

The individual substrate 3 is constituted, for example, by a glassfabric-based epoxy resin board.

The ball electrodes 11 are formed by solder for example.

The semiconductor chip 1 is formed by silicon for example and asemiconductor integrated circuit is formed on the main surface 1 b ofthe chip, further, plural pads 1 a as surface electrodes for connectionare formed on a peripheral edge portion of the main surface 1 b.

The molding resin used for forming the sealing member 6 is, for example,a thermosetting epoxy resin.

The wires 4 to be connected by wire bonding is, for example, gold wires.

The following description is now provided about a method ofmanufacturing the BGA 9 of this first embodiment.

First, there is provided such a matrix substrate (wiring substrate) 7 asshown in FIG. 5 in which plural device areas 7 a each having pluralconnecting terminals 3 a are arranged in a matrix form.

There also are provided semiconductor chips 1.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the semiconductor chips 1 are eachsubjected to die bonding to mount plural semiconductor chips 1 on asingle matrix substrate 7.

Further, the semiconductor chips 1 are each subjected to wire bonding toconnect pads 1 a on each semiconductor chip 1 with connecting terminals3 c in the corresponding device area 7 a on the matrix substrate 7through wires 4.

Thereafter, block molding is performed for resin sealing.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, plural semiconductor chips 1 onthe matrix substrate 7 are placed in the interior of a single cavity 13c of a molding die 13 and the plural device areas 7 a are covered alltogether with the cavity 13 c, thereafter the plural semiconductor chips1 are sealed all together with resin to form a block sealing member 8.

In this case, first the matrix substrate 7 after wire bonding isdisposed on a mating surface of a lower mold 13 b, then the pluraldevice areas 7 a are covered all together with the cavity 13 c of anupper mold 13 a and both upper and lower molds 13 a, 13 b are clamped.

Thereafter, a sealing resin is poured into the cavity 13 c and blockmolding is performed.

In this way the block sealing member 8 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is formed.

In this first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a structurecomprising the block sealing member 8 formed on the matrix substrate 7and plural ball electrodes 11 formed on a substrate surface as anexternal terminal mounting surface of the matrix substrate 7 is calledthe assembled product 2. However, in the case of a semiconductor devicenot using the ball electrodes 11 as external terminals, the structureafter formation of the block molding member 8 is called the assembledproduct 2.

Next, a description will be given below about a dicing step (divisioninto individual pieces) for the assembled product 2 after block molding.

First, reference will be made to a substrate holding jig 12 as aplate-like jig used in the dicing step, which is illustrated in FIGS. 9and 10.

The substrate holding jig 12 is made up of a plate-like jig body 12 aand a product support portions 12 b formed of rubber or the like tosupport the assembled product 2. In the product support portions 12 bare formed grooves 12 d in a lattice shape correspondingly to the dicinglines 7 b.

Further, chucking holes (through holes) 12 c are formed respectively inquadrangular areas (each corresponding to one product) which are definedby the grooves 12 d in the product support portions 12 b, and dicing isperformed while chucking products through respective chucking holes 12c.

A positioning hole 12 e is formed in the jig body 12 a at a positionoutside the product support portions 12 b. During dicing, positioning ofthe substrate holding jig 12 can be done using the positioning hole 12e.

Description is now directed to a dicing/decontaminating equipment usedin this first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 35, the dicing/decontaminating equipment has a loadersection comprising, for example, a ball tape loader 19, a ball substrateloader 20, and a ball-free substrate loader 21, which are used accordingto the type of product to be obtained. The loader section is equippedwith a first unit on which is mounted a first rack, the first rackreceiving assembled products 2 in individual grooves, and is alsoequipped with a second unit on which is mounted a second rack, thesecond rack receiving assembled products 2 in a stacked fashion.

The first rack has outlets for assembled products 2 which outlets differdepending on the type of assembled products to be received therein, forexample, depending on whether the products are tape block-moldedproducts, i.e., the type in which a tape substrate is affixed to a leadframe, or they are substrate block-molded products, i.e., substrate BGAtype. Each of the tape block-molded products is pushed out by the firstrack and is the conveyed to a tape peeling mold 22 for peeling the leadframe and the assembled product 2. On the other hand, each of thesubstrate block-molded products is pushed out by the first rack and isthen conveyed to a prepositioning unit. No matter which type the productconcerned may be, the block sealing member 8 of the product (assembledproduct 2) is brought into contact with the substrate holding jig 12 andtherefore the product is set beforehand in a state in which the blocksealing member 8 side faces down.

Products (assembled products 2) received in the second rack are LGA(Land Grid Array) type products free of ball electrodes 11. They arelifted to an upper portion of the rack by means of an elevator and arechucked and conveyed successively from the top one.

It is necessary that the product thus chucked and conveyed from eachloader be mounted on the substrate holding jig 12 with a certain degreeof accuracy. Therefore, the product is once established its position bya positioning unit (step S1 in FIG. 35). For this positioning there isadopted a method wherein vacuum chucking of the conveyance unit is oncereleased, allowing the product to fall by its own weight into a pockethaving a contour matching the contour of the product, and then theproduct is again chucked. This is an inexpensive positioning method.

Thereafter, a jig product setting of step S2 in FIG. 35 is performed.

First, the product (assembled product 2) which has been positioned bythe above positioning method is chucked by a jig transfer hand 14 asshown in FIG. 11 and is set to the substrate holding jig 12 which hasbeen positioned in advance. At this time, the jig transfer hand 14 ispositioned relative to the substrate holding jig 12 while being guidedby positioning pins or the like.

The jig transfer hand 14 is made up of a hand body 14 a and a sponge 14b.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12, the substrate surface 7 c (the backsurface 3 b of the individual substrate 3) as an external terminalmounting surface of the matrix substrate 7 in the assembled product 2 isbrought into contact with the sponge 14 b of the jig transfer hand 14and the assembled product 2 is sandwiched and clamped by both the jigtransfer hand 14 and the substrate holding jig 12.

The assembled product 2 thus clamped is conveyed in the clamped state tothe next processing step.

Subsequently, there is performed setting to a dicer cutting stage whichis shown in step S3.

More specifically, the assembled product 2 and the substrate holding jig12 are set to a dicer cutting stage 15 by the jig transfer hand 14. Atthis time, the dicer cutting stage 15 and the substrate holding jig 12clamped by the jig transfer hand 14 are positioned using guide pins orthe like.

For checking whether the substrate holding jig 12 and the assembledproduct 2 are present or not on the dicer cutting stage 15, as shown inFIG. 13, the same stage has a jig chucking hole 15 b for chucking onlythe substrate holding jig 12 and a product chucking hole 15 a forchucking the product on the jig.

In the substrate holding 12 shown in FIG. 9 there are formed chuckingholes (through holes) 12 c corresponding respectively to the deviceareas 7 a on the matrix substrate 7 shown in FIG. 5. When the blocksealing member 8 in the assembled product 2 is to be chucked, it can bevacuum-chucked through the chucking holes 12 c corresponding to thedevice areas 7 a respectively.

Thus, when the block sealing member 8 is to be vacuum-chucked throughthe substrate holding jig 12, it is possible to vacuum-chuck both thesubstrate holding jig 12 and the block sealing member 8 by vacuumevacuation from separate exhaust paths (indicating the product chuckinghole 15 a and the jig chucking hole 15 b) corresponding respectively tothe substrate holding jig and the block sealing member.

By utilizing such chucking holes it is possible to judge various states,for example, judge that there is no jig, that there is a jig but thereis no product, and that both jig and product are present.

For delivery of the substrate holding jig 12 and the assembled product 2from the jig transfer hand 14 to the dicer cutting stage 15, the productand jig chucking operation on the stage side is started, and after avacuum sensor on the stage side has detected a level of a predeterminedvalue, the product chucking operation of the jig transfer hand 14 iscancelled, then the clamped state by the jig is released, and the jigtransfer hand 14 is retracted to a position not obstructing the dicingoperation.

Subsequently, there is performed dicing into individual pieces afterdicer recognition which is shown in step S4.

To be more specific, the block sealing member 8 and the matrix substrate7 are diced along the dicing lines 7 b while a surface 8 a of the blocksealing member 8 in the assembled product 2 is vacuum-chucked by thedicer cutting stage 15 through the substrate holding jig 12, whereby adivision is made into individual device areas 7 a (division intoindividual pieces).

In this case, after the assembled product 2 has been set onto the dicercutting stage 15 through the substrate holding jig 12, a wiring patternformed on the substrate surface 7 c of the matrix substrate 7 in theassembled product 2 is recognized by a recognition camera provided inthe dicer and a cutting position is calculated.

After completion of the recognition, the division of the assembledproduct 2 into individual pieces is started in accordance with anumerical value calculated on the basis of the recognition information.

Dicing of the assembled product 2 is carried out in the following mannerAs shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a dicing blade 10 is moved ahead from thesubstrate surface (back surface) 7 c side of the matrix substrate 7 withplural ball electrodes 11 as external terminals mounted on the substratesurface (back surface) 7 c, and the blade 10 is moved repeatedly in bothtransverse and longitudinal directions of the matrix substrate 7 to dicethe block sealing member 8 and the matrix substrate 7.

As a result, the block sealing member 8 is divided into individualsealing members 6 and the matrix substrate 7 is divided into individualsubstrates 3.

Thus, in the semiconductor device manufacturing method of this firstembodiment, at the time of dividing the matrix substrate after blockmolding, the block sealing member 8 and the matrix substrate 7 are dicedwhile vacuum-chucking the surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8,whereby the division can be done without imposing any stress on thesubstrate surface (back surface) 7 c as an external terminal mountingsurface of the matrix substrate 7.

Thus, the back surface 3 b (substrate surface 7 c) of each individualsubstrate 3 can be prevented from being flawed.

Moreover, since the surface 8 a of the block sealing member B is easierto be vacuum-chucked than the matrix substrate 7, it is possible to holdthe block sealing member 8 and the matrix substrate 7 positively whileensuring stabilization of the chucking condition, and hence possible toenhance the dicing accuracy and reliability.

Further, since the surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8 isvacuum-chucked, the substrate surface 7 c of the matrix substrate 7faces up, so that it becomes easier to recognize a wiring pattern andthe like, with the result that the recognition of a dicing position(dividing position) can be done easily.

After completion of the cutting into individual pieces, there isperformed setting to a washing/drying stage as shown in step S5.

In this step there is made conveyance of the assembled product 2 and thesubstrate holding jig 12 using another jig transfer hand 14 which istwinned with the jig transfer hand 14 described above.

Thus, in the dicing/decontaminating equipment used in this firstembodiment, the jig transfer hand 14 described previously and the otherjig transfer hand 14 just referred to above are used in a pair. Afterthe other transfer hand 14 has taken out diced individual products fromthe dicer cutting stage 15, the undiced assembled product preset to onejig transfer hand 14 is set to the dicer cutting stage 15, so that it ispossible to shorten the processing wait time of each hand and hencepossible to improve the working efficiency of the equipment.

Washing which is conducted at this stage aims at removing cutting wastes(contamination) resulting from dicing. The assembled product 2 havingbeen diced into individual pieces and held by the other jig transferhand 14, as well as the substrate holding jig 12, are set to a spinstage 16 for washing and drying. The setting is carried out in the sameway as is the case with the dicer cutting stage 15. The diced, assembledproduct 2 on the substrate holding jig 12 is held by the other jigtransfer hand 14 and is conveyed onto the spin stage 16 for washing anddrying in the next step while being clamped between the other transferjig 14 and the substrate holding jig 12.

At this time, on the other transfer hand 14 side, the substrate holdingjig 12 and the hand body 14 a are established their positions usingguide pins or the like and the assembled product after dicing isvacuum-chucked and fixed on the dicer cutting stage. In this state thesubstrate surface 7 c side of the matrix substrate 7 is pressed downwith sponge 14 b of a material which does not cause damage to the ballelectrodes 11. Thereafter, the substrate holding jig 12 is clamped.

Thereafter, the dicer cutting stage 15 is released from its vacuumchucking state and the diced, assembled product 2 is conveyed onto thespin stage 16 while being fixed so as not to move on the substrateholding jig 12.

Subsequently, washing and drying are carried out in step S6.

In the spin stage 16, as shown in FIG. 16, washing water 16 b held at ahigh pressure is injected from above the diced, assembled product 2while the product is chucked by a jig/product chucking hole 16 a throughthe substrate holding jig 12, causing the spin stage 16 to rotate,thereby improving the washing power. After the washing, high pressureair 16 c is injected from above the assembled product 2, also causingrotation of the spin stage 16 to dry the product (assembled product 2).

The contamination removed by washing and drying in this first embodimentis one deposited on the substrate surface 7 c of the matrix substrate 7located at an upper portion of the product, and at this time thereremains contamination on the surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8.In case of removing this remaining contamination in a later step, theremoval is relatively easy. However, the removal of contamination fromthe substrate surface 7 c is not easy particularly when ball electrodes11 are provided on the substrate surface.

According to the method of this first embodiment wherein the surface 8 aof the block sealing member 8 faces down and is chucked by the substrateholding means 12, the surface 7 c of the matrix substrate 7 can bewashed and dried while facing up and mounted on the substrate holdingjig 12. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove cutting wastesadhered to the substrate surface 7 c as an external terminal mountingsurface of the matrix substrate 7. Thus, also in washing the substratesurface 7 c, this method is very advantageous in comparison with themethod wherein chucking is performed with the substrate surface 7 cfacing down.

After the washing and drying step, there is performed inversion as instep S7.

First, the assembled product 2 after washing and drying is transferredtogether with the substrate holding jig 12 onto an inverting hand 17shown in FIG. 17 by means of one jig transfer hand 14. The operation fortaking out the assembled product 2 and the substrate holding jig 12 fromthe spin stage 16 is the same as is the case with the dicer cuttingstage 15, and guide pins or the like are used also when the jig transferhand 14 sets the assembled product 2 and the substrate holding jig 12onto the inverting hand 17.

The inverting hand 17 is provided with a hand body 17 a and a motor 17 cfor turning the hand body 17 a upside down and has a four-axis freedomof X, Y, Z, and Θ. Further, the hand body 17 b is formed with anaperture 17 b for chucking the assembled product 2 through the substrateholding jig 12.

The inverting hand 17 chucks only the product (assembled product 2) anda mechanical clamp is used for fixing the substrate holding jig 12,whereby it is possible to simplify the vacuum evacuation path and reducethe cost of the inverting hand 17.

A description will be given below about a drainer hand 18.

The drainer hand 18 is for once separating the assembled product 2 fromthe substrate holding jig 12 and chucking only the assembled product 2.The drainer hand 18 is provided with a hand body 18 a, a chuckingaperture 18 b formed in the hand body 18 a, a sponge 18 c disposed inthe hand body 18 a, and plural through holes 18 d which are formed inthe sponge 18 c in a one-to-one correspondence to individual products.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the purpose of transferring the assembledproduct from the inverting hand 17 to the drainer hand 18 is to removewater remaining on the surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8 in theassembled product 2, thereby preventing water drops from lapping on thesubstrate surface 7 c upon inversion of the assembled product 2, and toclean the substrate holding jig 12.

The assembled product 2 which has been transferred together with thesubstrate holding jig 12 onto the inverting hand 17 is chucked by theinverting hand 17 through the aperture 17 b. In this state, the drainerhand 18 is disposed above the inverting hand 17 and thereafter theinverting hand 17 is moved upward, causing the assembled product 2 to bepressed against the sponge 18 c of the drainer hand 18 from below.

Subsequently, chucking is started through the through holes 18 d formedin the sponge 18 c of the drainer hand 18 and then the chucking in theinverting hand 17 is stopped. At this time, since plural through holes18 d are formed in the sponge 18 c in a one-to-one correspondencerespectively to the products, the substrate surface 7 c of the matrixsubstrate (see FIG. 15) in the assembled product 2 can be chucked by thedrainer hand 18, as shown in FIG. 18.

Although plural ball electrodes 11 are mounted to the substrate surface7 c, since it is the sponge 18 c with which the substrate surface 7 c isbrought into contact, the substrate surface 7 c can be chucked withoutflawing the ball electrodes 11.

Then, after making it sure by a vacuum sensor that the delivery ofproduct has been completed, the inverting hand 17 is brought down, andthus a positional deviation of product can be prevented.

Now, the product chucking by drainer hand shown in step S8 is over.

Thereafter, there is performed water suction from the sealing surface ofstep S9 which is shown in FIG. 36.

In this step, the substrate surface 7 c of the matrix substrate 7 withball electrodes 11 attached thereto is chucked by the drainer hand 18through sponge 18 c, and in this state a suction sponge 23 a is pushedagainst the surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8 to suck water formthe surface 8 a.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, a suction stage 23 provided witha suction sponge 23 a is disposed below the drainer hand 18, then thesuction stage 23 is raised to push the suction sponge 23 a against thesurface 8 a of the block sealing member 8, and suction is made through asuction hole 23 b formed in the suction stage 23 to suck water adheredto the block sealing member 8.

In this way it is possible to prevent water drops from lapping on thesubstrate surface 7 c upon product inversion.

On the other hand, jig cleaning of step S10 is performed concurrentlywith step S9.

In this step, the inverting band 17 is inverted so that the substrateholding jig 12 faces down. Further, as shown in FIG. 20, a jig cleaningstage 24 is disposed below the inverting hand 17, thereafter the jigcleaning stage 24 and the inverting hand 17 are brought into closecontact with each other and air blow 24 a is applied to the substrateholding jig 12 within a hermetically sealed space. At the same time,suction is made through a dust collection hole 24 b formed in the jigcleaning stage 24 to decontaminate the substrate holding jig 12.

As a result, water and cutting wastes (e.g., broken pieces of product,cut chips of sealing resin, and contamination) on the substrate holdingjig 12 can be prevented from being re-adhered to the product.

Subsequently, product chucking by the inverting hand is performed, asshown in step S11.

More specifically, a shown in FIG. 21, the assembled product 2 is againchucked onto the substrate holding jig 12 in the inverting hand 17 insuch a manner that its substrate surface 7 c faces up.

Thereafter, the product is inverted as in step S12. As shown in FIG. 22,the inverting hand 17 is inverted while the assembled product 2 ischucked through the substrate holding jig 12, thereby allowing thesubstrate surface 7 c in the assembled product 2 to face down.

Then, a decontaminating zigzag stage is used as in step S13.

First, as shown in FIG. 23, a decontaminating zigzag stage (zigzagstage) 25 provided with sponge 25 a is disposed below the inverting hand17 which chucks the assembled product 2 with the substrate surface 7 cfacing down, then the inverting hand 17 is brought down while chuckingthe assembled product 2, and the assembled product 2 is delivered ontothe sponge 25 a of the decontaminating zigzag stage 25.

At this time, the assembled product 2 already diced is separated intoindividual products (BGA 9) and then the individual products arearranged zigzag on the decontaminating zigzag stage 25.

That the products are arranged zigzag is for the following reason.

First, at the time of performing decontamination as shown in FIG. 27,spaces are formed along the four sides of each product by zigzagarrangement, whereby brushing reaches the four side faces of individualsealing members 4 and hence the decontamination range can be set wide.

Secondly, in the case where products are chucked all together in thedicer cut state on the decontaminating zigzag stage 25, and whenindividual products are conveyed in the next step after the end ofdecontamination, if one or plural individual products are conveyeddirectly at a time, there occurs vacuum leak at unloaded empty portionsresulting from the individual product conveyance on the decontaminatingzigzag stage 25, with consequent lowering of the degree of vacuum inblock chucking and occurrence of a positional deviation of product onthe decontaminating zigzag stage 25.

For this reason, it is not preferable to perform the individual productconveyance directly from the decontaminating zigzag stage 25. It isnecessary to once transfer individual products from the decontaminatingzigzag stage 25 onto a tray not causing vacuum leak (in the case of sucha tray it is not necessary to effect vacuum chucking).

In this case, for improving the throughput in the transfer, it ispreferable that the individual products be transferred all together ontothe tray. However, the product transfer accuracy into tray pockets isless strict in the case of zigzag pockets which permit guiding the foursides of each product than in the shape of a single assembly in thedicer cut state, thus facilitating the product transfer work.

For example, when the spacing between adjacent individual products isonly the width (for example, 0.2 mm) of the dicing blade 10, it isextremely difficult, with any other arrangement than zigzag arrangement,to form pockets each for guiding the four sides of product.

For the above first and second reasons, individual products are takenout from the assembled product 2 which has been subjected to dicing, andare arranged zigzag on the decontaminating zigzag stage 25.

Next, the following description is provided about in what manner thediced individual products with the substrate held by the inverting hand17 shown in FIG. 23 are arranged zigzag on the decontaminating zigzagstage 25.

For arranging the diced individual products (BAA 9) in a zigzag fashion,all the products are vacuum-chucked beforehand by vacuum evacuationsystems of plural different paths in the inverting hand 17, thereafterthe vacuum evacuation in any of the plural paths is stopped selectivelyand the products corresponding to the path concerned are transferredonto the decontaminating zigzag stage (zigzag stage) 25. This isrepeated successively for each of the paths to arrange the productszigzag on the decontaminating zigzag stage 25.

For example, in the case where vacuum evacuation systems of four, firstto fourth different types of paths are provided for forming a zigzagarrangement in the inverting hand 17, first vacuum evacuation of onlythe first evacuation system is stopped and only the products present atthe position corresponding to the first vacuum evacuation system arechucked and transferred onto the decontaminating zigzag stage 25. Thisstate is shown in FIG. 24.

Subsequently, vacuum evacuation of only the second vacuum evacuationsystem is stopped and only the products present at the positioncorresponding to the second vacuum evacuation system are chucked andtransferred onto the decontaminating zigzag stage 25. This state isshown in FIG. 25.

In this way the products are successively transferred onto thedecontaminating zigzag stage 25, on which all the products are chuckedin zigzag arrangement.

As shown in FIG. 26, a sponge 25 a is provided on the decontaminatingzigzag stage 25 and through holes 25 c are formed in the sponge 25 a inone-to-one correspondence respectively to the zigzag-arranged products.

In the decontaminating zigzag stage 25, therefore, upon vacuumevacuation from an aperture 25 b, the back surfaces of thezigzag-arranged products can be chucked through the through holes 25 cformed in the sponge 25 a. In this state, the back surface 3 b of theindividual substrate 3 in each product (BGA 9) is vacuum-chucked and thesurface 8 a of each sealing member 6 faces upward.

Thereafter, decontamination is performed in step S14.

In this step, as shown in FIG. 27, a rotatable brush 26 is rotated,whereby the back surfaces 3 b of the individual substrates 3 with pluralball electrodes 11 mounted thereon rub the surfaces 8 a of the sealingmembers 6 of the individual zigzagged and chucked BGAs 9.

In this case, the surfaces 8 a of the individual sealing members 6 havebeen dried by the sealing surface water suction in step S9 and thus thedried surfaces 8 a can be rubbed with the brush 26, so thatcontamination such as resin wastes can be removed positively. Suchcontamination as resin wastes generated in the dicing step is easier tobe removed if the surfaces 8 a of the individual sealing members 6 aredried. In the decontaminating step adopted in this first embodiment, thesealing member surfaces 8 a are faced upward and are rubbed with thebrush 26, thus permitting positive removal of contamination.

At the time of rubbing the sealing members 6 with the brush 26, it isoptional whether the brush 26 which is rotating is to be moved along thezigzagged sealing members 6 or the decontaminating zigzag stage 25 is tobe moved, or both may be moved.

Moreover, since the BGAs 9 are zigzagged on the decontaminating zigzagstage 25, the brush 26 which is rotating can also be brought intocontact with the four side faces of each individual sealing member 6,whereby the four side faces can be decontaminated.

Thus, according to the decontaminating step adopted in this firstembodiment, it is possible to eliminate contamination adhered to nearlythe whole of each individual sealing member 6, including the four sidefaces and the surface 8 a.

For antistatic purpose it is preferable that the brush 26 be formedusing an electrically conductive material.

During the decontaminating work with the brush 26, contaminationscatters around, but by vacuum evacuation from the aperture 25 b formedin the decontaminating zigzag stage 25 to collect the scatteredcontamination it is possible to prevent the scattering of contamination.

Thereafter, the products are transferred into zigzag pockets in stepS15.

In this step, a zigzag pocket tray (tray) 28 with pockets formed zigzagis provided in advance and the BGAs 9 after decontamination are oncetransferred onto the zigzag pocket tray 28 while being chucked alltogether in their zigzagged state and are received the BGAs 9respectively in zigzag pockets 28 a formed in the zigzag pocket tray 28.

In this case, the plural BGAs 9 on the decontaminating zigzag stage 25shown in FIG. 28 are chucked all together at the surfaces 8 a of therespective sealing members 6 by means of a zigzag block chucking hand 27which can chuck all the BGAs together in a zigzagged state, and aretransferred onto the zigzag pocket tray 28 shown in FIGS. 29 and 30.

Since the plural BGAs 9 can thus be transferred all together, it ispossible to improve the throughput of the transfer.

It is preferable that the zigzag pockets 28 a formed in the zigzagpocket tray 28 be each provided with guides correspondingly to the foursides of each product.

Thereafter, individual products are conveyed in step S16.

In this step, as shown in FIG. 31, one or plural BGAs 9 are taken outfrom the zigzag pocket tray 28 and are conveyed.

In this individual product conveyance, since BGA 9 is accommodated ineach pocket, there is no fear of occurrence of vacuum leak even if thereoccur empty pockets after pickup of one or plural BGAs 9.

In the conveyance being considered, therefore, a desired number (forexample, four) of BGAs 9 are chucked at the surfaces 8 a of therespective sealing members 6 and are picked up by means of an individualproduct chucking hand 29, then are conveyed to such positioning pockets30 as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, or to a test section or an appearancechecking section, in accordance with a preset program.

For example, in case of conducting an electric test in step S17, asshown in FIG. 32, the products (BGAs 9) which have been conveyed by afirst individual product chucking hand 29 a are received, for deliveryto a second individual product chucking hand 29 b, into positioningpockets 30 which also serve to provide temporary storage places.Subsequently, the products are chucked by the second individual productchucking hand 29 b and are inserted into testing sockets 31, followed byan electric test with a tester connected electrically to each socket.The products which have gone through the test are then conveyed to thenext step by means of a third individual product chucking hand 29 c.

The second individual product chucking hand 29 b inserts products intothe testing sockets 31 and at the same time the third individual productchucking hand 29 c takes out products from the testing sockets 31,whereby the processing capacity can be improved.

In an appearance check of step S18, a dimensional accuracy (distance ofeach of the four sides from a reference position) after dicing ismeasured to prevent a defective product not conforming to thespecification tolerance from flowing to the next step, also preventingdefects caused by the dicer from being implanted in the productsconcerned Further, a check is made as to whether there is any drop-outof ball, thereby preventing the flow of a defective product to the nextstep.

An appearance checking apparatus used is of a specification whichpermits the addition of checking items (e.g., the adhesion of dustparticle).

For shortening the time required for appearance check, as shown in FIG.33, products are conveyed up to a position above an appearance checkingcamera 32 while being chucked by a fourth individual product chuckinghand 29 d and are checked for appearance there by the camera 32.

In a tray storing step S19 the products, by means of the fourthindividual product chucking hand 29 d, are conveyed and stored ontotrays which are classified depending on whether the products are good,defective in the test, or defective in appearance.

To be more specific, in a tray storing section there are provided threetypes of trays which are a good product receiving tray 33, a test defectproduct receiving tray 34, and an appearance defect product receivingtray 35. The tray storing section is composed of a tray loader, aproduct storing unit, and a tray unloader. In the event a certain numberof test detects makes it impossible to ensure a predetermined yield, thedicing/decontaminating equipment fulfills an automatic re-checkingfunction. In this case, the aforesaid classification of trays into threetypes becomes as follows: the good product receiving tray 33, a primarytest/appearance defect tray, and a secondary test/appearance defecttray.

Next, a description will be given below about a substrate holding jig 12and a jig transfer band 14 each according to a modification of the firstembodiment.

FIG. 37 is a plan view showing the structure of a substrate holding jigaccording to a modification of the first embodiment, FIG. 38 is asectional view thereof, FIG. 39 is a sectional view showing how to clampan assembled product by both the substrate holding jig according to themodification illustrated in FIG. 37 and a jig transfer hand also used inthe modification, FIG. 40 is an enlarged, partial sectional view showinga clamped, sensor OFF state in the jig transfer hand according to themodification illustrated in FIG. 39, and FIG. 41 is an enlarged, partialsectional view showing a clamped, sensor ON state in the jig transferhand according to the modification illustrated in FIG. 39.

The substrate holding jig 12 according to the modification shown inFIGS. 37 and 38 is almost the same as the substrate holding jig shown inFIG. 9, but is provided in addition to the jig body 12 a and the productsupport portions 12 b with guide pins 12 f for guiding an assembledproduct 2 shown in FIG. 39 and a projecting member 12 g such as ahexagon headed bolt to be used for the recognition of jig.

The jig transfer hand 14 according to the modification shown in FIG. 39is provided in addition to its components shown in FIG. 11 with achucking pad 14 c for recognizing the projecting member 12 g of thesubstrate holding jig 12 shown in FIG. 38.

For the recognition of jig, the jig transfer hand 14 moves up to abovethe projecting member 12 g of the jig applied and the projecting member12 g moves down to a predetermined height, in accordance with presettype data. Thereafter, a vacuum sensor is operated and if the vacuumsensor turns ON, this state is judged to be normal, while if its doesnot turn ON, this state is judged to be abnormal.

With the above operation, in case of using the substrate holding jig 12and the jig transfer hand 14 according to this modification, it ispossible to check whether the product to be cut and the jig used matcheach other, whereby it is possible to prevent the use of jig which doesnot match the product to be cut.

In FIGS. 40 and 41, the recognition of jig is performed using an opticalsensor 14 d. For example, if the projecting member 12 g is not providedin the substrate holding jig 12, a pin member 14 e does not shield theoptical sensor 14 d, while if the projecting member 12 g is provided,the pin member 14 e is pushed up and shields the optical sensor 14 d.

In accordance with turning ON or OFF of the optical sensor 14 d it ischecked whether the product to be cut and the jig used match each otheror not.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 42 is a sectional view showing an example of a state in which asubstrate is held by a porous jig used in a semiconductor devicemanufacturing method according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention, FIG. 43 is a sectional view showing a state where a substrateis held according to a modification of the second embodiment, FIG. 44 isa sectional view showing a dicing method according to anothermodification of the second embodiment, FIG. 45 is a sectional viewshowing an assembled product holding state according to a furthermodification of the second embodiment, FIG. 46 is a plan view showingthe structure of the assembled product according to the modificationillustrated in FIG. 45, FIG. 47 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 48 isa plan view showing the structure of an assembled product according to astill further modification of the second embodiment, FIG. 49 is asectional view showing a sectional structure taken along line A-A inFIG. 48, FIG. 50 is a partial sectional view showing a sectionalstructure taken along line B-B in FIG. 48, FIG. 51 is a back viewshowing a back side of the assembled product illustrated in FIG. 48,FIG. 52 is a plan view showing the structure of an assembled productaccording to a still further modification of the second embodiment, FIG.53 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure taken along lineC-C in FIG. 52, FIG. 54 is a back view showing a back side of theassembled product illustrated in FIG. 52, FIG. 55 is a plan view showingthe structure of an assembled product according to a still furthermodification of the second embodiment, FIG. 56 is a sectional viewshowing a sectional structure taken along line D-D in FIG. 55, FIG. 57is a back view showing a back side of the assembled product illustratedin FIG. 55, and FIG. 58 is a sectional view showing a semiconductordevice manufacturing method according to a still further modification ofthe second embodiment.

In this second embodiment, in connection with the manufacture of asemiconductor device, a description will be given about a jig used indicing after block molding and a dicing method using the jig. A porousjig 36 having plural holes 36 a is used instead of the substrate holdingjig 12 used in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 42, there is provided a support block 37 with aplate-like porous jig 36 built therein, the support block 37 beingcapable of holding an assembled product 2 after block molding. Dicing isperformed on the support block 37 to divide the assembled product intoindividual products.

More specifically, onto the porous jig 36 built in the support block 37and having plural holes 36 a there is disposed the assembled product 2through a low-adhesion sheet 38 in such a manner that a block sealingmember 8 thereof faces toward the low-adhesion sheet 38.

In this way the assembled product 2 is disposed on the porous jig 36through the low-adhesion sheet 38 with its block sealing member 8 facingtoward the low-adhesion sheet 38.

In this state vacuum evacuation is made from a suction hole 37 a formedin the support block 37 to vacuum-chuck the block sealing member 8through the low-adhesion sheet 38 and the porous jig 36. Further, ablade 10 is advanced into a matrix substrate 7 from a substrate surface7 c side with ball electrodes 11 mounted thereto, and dicing is carriedout with the blade 10 to divide the matrix substrate into individualsubstrates.

Plural holes 36 a are formed throughout the whole surface of the porousjig 36, the holes 36 a penetrating both surface and back surface of theporous jig almost uniformly. For example, the porous jig 36 is formed ofa material capable of being produced by sintering or a metal.

Adhesive is applied to both surface and back of the low-adhesion sheet38 and the advancing of the blade 10 is blocked by the same sheet.

By thus performing dicing with use of the porous jig 36 and thelow-adhesion sheet 38, not only the adhesion of cutting chips to sealingmembers 6 can be prevented, but also it is possible to let the porousjig 36 cope with grade change by only replacement of the low-adhesionsheet 38. Thus, it is possible to let the porous jig 36 cope withvarious grades.

That is, both porous jig 36 and low-adhesion sheet 38 can be made tocope with not a single grade but various grades, whereby the versatilityof the porous jig 36 is enhanced and the reduction of cost can beattained.

Unlike the conventional dicing tape having an ultraviolet-curing typeadhesive, the low-adhesion sheet 38 can be used repeatedly, premisingthat the sheet is used with uniform adhesion not only during dicing stepbut also during subsequent pick-up step. As a result, it becomespossible to reduce the material cost in the dicing step.

Further, even when the assembled product 2 is warped, it is possible toprevent the occurrence of a chucking error for the assembled productbecause of the presence of the low-adhesion sheet 38.

However, the low-adhesion sheet 38 is not always needed.

Reference is now made to FIG. 43 which illustrates a modification fromFIG. 42. In this modification there is used a soft resin sheet 39 inplace of the low-adhesion sheet 38. Upon interference of the blade 10with the soft resin sheet 39 in the dicing step, a soft resin (gellular)causes the sheet itself to escape, whereby the advancing of the blade 10can be stopped.

Also as to the soft resin sheet 39, repeated use thereof in the dicingstep permits reduction of the material cost. Besides, with use of a softresin, it is possible to prevent damage of the soft resin sheet 39during dicing and hence it is possible to increase the number of timesof repeated use.

In the modification shown in FIG. 44, a surface 7 c of a matrixsubstrate 7 with ball electrodes 11 mounted thereto is allowed to facedownward, while a block sealing member 8 of an assembled product 2 isallowed to face upward, and the block sealing member 8 is chucked froman upper side thereof by the support block 37 through the porous jig 36and the low-adhesion sheet 38. At the time of dicing, the dicing blade10 is advanced from a lower side of the matrix substrate 7.

According to the modification shown in FIG. 44, since cutting chips 40(contamination) produced during dicing directly drop downward andscatter, it is possible to minimize the adhesion thereof to theassembled product 2.

In the modification shown in FIG. 45, a tape substrate 41 is used as awiring substrate. As shown in FIGS. 46 and 47, dicing is carried out ina state in which the assembled product 43 having the tape substrate 41is affixed to a metallic frame member 42.

The tape substrate 41 is, for example, 100 μm or less in thickness andis thus very thin, that is, the rigidity thereof is low. For thisreason, the rigidity of the tape substrate 41 is enhanced during dicing.A block sealing member 8 formed on the tape substrate 41 and the framemember 42 are chucked through the low-adhesion sheet 38 and the porousjig 36 and in this state there is performed dicing.

In this case, the step of peeling the tape substrate 41 from the framemember 42 is not needed and therefore it is possible to decrease thenumber of assembling steps.

FIGS. 48 to 57 illustrate various shapes of frame members 42 and fixingmethods for tape substrates 41.

The frame member 42 shown in FIGS. 48 to 51 has a large window 42 awhich corresponds to a block sealing member 8 of a tape substrate 41,the block sealing member 8 being disposed in the window 42 a. The tapesubstrate 41 and the frame member 42 are fixed with fixing pins 42 bprovided at four corners. The tape substrate 41 is held under tension bythe fixing pins 42 b. Further, outside and around the window 42 a thereare formed plural slits 42 c for traveling escape of the blade 10 duringdicing.

The frame member 42 shown in FIGS. 52 to 54 fix the tape substrate 41from both surface and back side of the tape substrate in a sandwichingmanner. For the fixing there is adopted, for example, a magnet fixingmethod or a pin fixing method.

The frame member 42 shown in FIGS. 55 to 57 has bars 42 d for supportingthe surface 8 a of the block sealing member 8. The bars 42 d areprovided latticewise correspondingly to dicing lines 7 b (see FIG. 5)and are each formed with a concave 42 e as a relief of the blade 10.

In the frame member 42 shown in FIGS. 55 to 57, the tape substrate 41 isheld under tension by means of fixing pins 42 b provided at four cornersof the frame member.

Next, a description will be given below about a semiconductor devicemanufacturing method according to a modification of the secondembodiment.

In FIG. 58, the porous jig 36 and the support block 37 both referred toin the second embodiment are used in case of dicing a semiconductorwafer 44, not the assembled product 43.

The wafer dicing shown in FIG. 58 is carried out using a protectivesheet 45 pre-affixed to a back surface 44 a of the semiconductor wafer44 instead of such a low-adhesion sheet 38 as shown in FIG. 42.

More specifically, the semiconductor wafer 44 is disposed on the porousjig 36 through the protective sheet 45 and is chucked from its backsurface 44 a side through the porous jig 36, then is half-cut with theblade 10.

In this case, the wafer dicing cost can be reduced because it is notnecessary to use the low-adhesion sheet 38.

Thus, if there is used the support block with the porous jig 36 in thesecond embodiment incorporated therein, the dicing/decontaminatingequipment in the second embodiment is employable not only in the dicingafter block molding but also in the wafer dicing.

Although the present invention has been described above concretely byway of embodiments thereof, it goes without saying that the presentinvention is not limited to the above embodiments, but that variouschanges may be made within the scope not departing from the gist of theinvention.

Although the semiconductor device referred to in the above first andsecond embodiments is BGA 9, there may be used any other semiconductordevice such as, for example, LGA (Land Grid Array) or QFN (Quad FlatNon-leaded Package) insofar as a block sealing member 8 is formed on awiring substrate and is subjected to dicing for assembly into individualproducts.

Further, as described in a modification of the second embodiment, thedicing/decontaminating equipment is employable also in wafer dicing.

The following is a brief description of effects obtained by typicalmodes of the present invention as disclosed herein.

By vacuum-chucking the surface of a block sealing member at the time ofdividing a matrix substrate after block molding and carrying the dicingstep in this state, the dicing can be effected without imposing anystress on an external terminal mounting surface of a wiring substrateand thus the external terminal mounting surface of the wiring substratecan be prevented from being flawed. Further, it is possible to enhancethe dicing accuracy and reliability.

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising thesteps of: (a) providing a wiring substrate having a main surface, aplurality of device areas formed on the main surface, and a back surfaceopposed to the main surface; (b) mounting a plurality of semiconductorchips on the plurality of device areas, respectively; (c) forming ablock sealing member over the main surface of the wiring substrate, theblock sealing member covering the plurality of semiconductor chips; (d)after the step (c), dividing the block sealing member and the wiringsubstrate, and obtaining a plurality of individual semiconductordevices; (e) after the step (d), arranging a number of first individualsemiconductor devices of the plurality of individual semiconductordevices on a stage in a zig-zag manner; (f) after the step (e), pickingup the first individual semiconductor devices from the stage and andtransferring them into a plurality of pockets of a tray.
 2. A method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein aplan shape of each of the plurality of individual semiconductor devicesis quadranglar; wherein a plan shape of each of the plurality of pocketsis quadranglar; and wherein a guide is formed at each of four sides ofeach of the plurality of pockets.
 3. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the wiring substratehas a dicing area arranged between adjacent device areas; and wherein inthe step (d), the block sealing member and the wiring substrate aredivided into the plurality of individual semiconductor devices byrunning a blade from the back surface of the wiring substrate and alongthe dicing area.
 4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein a width of the blade is 0.2 mm.
 5. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1,wherein after the step (c) and before the step (d), a plurality ofexternal terminals are attached on the back surface of the wiringsubstrate such that the plurality of external terminals arecorresponding to the plurality of device areas, respectively.
 6. Amethod of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1,wherein after the step (d) and before the step (e), the plurality ofindividual semiconductor devices are washed and dried.
 7. A method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein eachof the plurality of individual semiconductor devices has a sealingmember comprising a portion of the block sealing member; and whereinafter the step (e) and before the step (f), a surface of the sealingmember of each of the plurality of individual semiconductor devices isrubbed using a brush.